As the Denver Broncos begin to sift through all that was the 2024 season, they have already come away with at least one conclusion -- they found their quarterback of the present and future in Bo Nix.

It starts with me,” Sean Payton said after the Broncos’ loss. “It’s always a tough pill to swallow especially when it’s a postseason game.”

Payton's Broncos stood little chance against the Bills, but one exec believes Denver is close to being "very good — like, 13 wins good."

The Denver Broncos' first postseason trip since the 2015 campaign was short-lived. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills defeated Denver 31-7 in Sunday's AFC

Sean Payton didn’t just take his foot off the gas. He yanked the emergency brake, got out of the car, handed the keys to Josh Allen, and crawled home on all fours.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton is taking full responsibility for the Broncos' Wild Card loss to the Bills on Sunday.

Moving on from Russell Wilson ultimately proved to be a cathartic experience for the Broncos, which they badly needed. Obviously, it was prohibitive for the team's salary cap to absorb, but it forced the Broncos to turn the page conclusively and hitch their wagon to a burgeoning youth movement that has emerged.